From A to Z
by WishingDreamer5
Summary: Not in a zillion years had he thought that he would admit it to himself, but there might be a small chance that he was...in love with her. It was pretty pathetic and he'd rather die than tell anyone, but he couldn't fight it anymore. She'd found the way to his heart... -26 Squinoa snippets about their complex relationship, with the letters of the alphabet as a prompt.
1. Angel

**A/N: I don't own anything of Final Fantasy, only this one-shot. After reading some FF VIII fanfics, I decided to write one, too. Please note that I'm rewriting this, since alphabet stories aren't officially allowed, because it makes them a long list of something. I'll make little drabbles of all of them, eventually. Anyways, enjoy reading! ;D**

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_~ It was hard not to think that she wasn't an **angel**, with her long, black hair, cream colored skin and the two angel wings printed on the back of her duster sweater. ~_

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**A. - Angel**

"Pretty pretty please, Squall?" Rinoa pleaded.

It was hard not to think that she wasn't an **angel**, with her long, black hair, cream colored skin and the two angel wings printed on the back of her duster sweater.

Ah, those wings almost seemed to want to confirm Squall's suspicions. An angel couldn't be an angel without her wings.

Yes, Squall hated to admit it, but this persistant young woman had made quite an impact on him (which was even an understatement!). He caught himself thinking of her, about her, more often than he should. At first he had thought that he only was slightly curious, but he couldn't find the strength in his heart to believe that anymore.

Heck, he couldn't even say "no" to her anymore!

Angel or not, she was still as beautiful as one. Maybe even more. Squall would rather jump off a building than tell her that, but maybe, just maybe, that would change at the time, too. Women just had that impact on poor men.

And yet, he couldn't complain. He did nothing to prevent it from happening. Perhaps he was getting insane? If so, it was all that angel's fault. She was driving him mad with her smiles and her dark dark eyes that reminded him of dark chocolate, and how it would slowly melt on his tongue, leaving a rather bittersweet taste in his mouth. Squall loved dark chocolate. And beautiful angels.

"Fine," he muttered, finally giving in.

Yes, he was insane already. No doubt about that now.

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**A/N: I hope you like it. Reviews are more than appreciated! 25 more to go!**


	2. Butterflies

~ _"Stupid butterflies," he muttered under his breath, grasping his stomach with a gloved hand and hoping for dear life that nobody had heard nor seen that._ ~

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******B.** - Butterflies

Squall was heading to the library. Maybe some reading would distract him from his current state, as long as he didn't read some sappy, poorly written romantic story (the thought alone made him want to empty his stomach right then and there). Not that they were his cup of tea, so he didn't have to worry about that one.

If you were wondering what his current state was, it was a five letter word. A name that started with an 'R' and ended with 'inoa.'

Every time their eyes met, she gave him a sugar sweet and warm smile. But she didn't know that that very same smile was slowly killing him from the inside, and there was nothing Squall could do about it.

"Stupid butterflies," he muttered under his breath, grasping his stomach with a gloved hand and hoping for dear life that nobody had heard nor seen that.

He had tried to ignore it several times now, but it just didn't work. The butterflies kept coming back with more and more whenever Rinoa would randomly show up (really, her timing was uncanny). He probably would never get rid of them, too.

Why wouldn't it work? It frustrated him beyond belief.

Something kept bothering the young SeeD, though. How was it possible that a girl he barely knew could make him feel this way, sick, weak, nervous, feverish and yet, still happy at the same time? Maybe he was losing his mind, alright.

...or was this actually how it felt to be in lo-

"No," he muttered, shaking his head unbelieving. "It's not what it looks like! It can't be!"

Several students that passed him in the hallway, gave him a rather weird look, wondering why he was talking to himself, or why he seemed to be so lost, but the anti-social teen paid no attention to them. Either that, or he didn't really notice.

Why was it that he kept thinking of that bubbly girl he didn't know that much, anyway? She wasn't really special. She was short and annoying and...

Charming... beautiful... angelic... mindblowing...

"Stop it!" he hissed, angrily, hating the fact that he couldn't control his own thoughts.

His mood didn't exactly lighten up when he noticed that everyone in the library was looking at him.

Wait, when did he even arrive here? Great, now he also had no idea what he was doing all the time. Could it get worse than this?

"What are you all looking at?" he spat, venomously.

His glare made the other students shrink and quickly look away. Good for them, he thought.

Squall made his way to the shelf where all the thrillers were. Maybe that would occupy his mind for a while.

Stupid butterflies, indeed.

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**A/N: I hope you like it. Reviews are more than appreciated!**


	3. Circulation

**A/N: A special thanks to: Lemon-Chan84, xAshbellax, XxX-SparklingEyes-XxX, Jane St. Valentine and ireneotaku.**

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_~ "You're cutting my **circulation**," he said quickly, after he had recovered from the initial shock of Rinoa actually hugging him. ~_

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**C.** - **Circulation**

_Wow..._ was the first (coherent) thing Squall could think of.

"Easy there. You're cutting off my **circulation**," he said quickly, after he had recovered from the initial shock of Rinoa actually _hugging_ him.

Admittedly, it wasn't the first time it had happened, but this hug seemed to be so much different from all the other hugs she had given him so far. How he could sense that was beyond Squall's knowledge. He just knew that this meant something else, something more.

The raven-haired girl swiftly let go of him and mumbled an apology.

"I'm sorry. It's just that... I really missed you."

This shocked the Gunblade wielder even more. Was there actually a person that could _miss_ him? _Him_ of all people? The coldhearted, selfish, stoic and aloof Squall Leonhart? That sure was a first.

"It's okay, I guess," he ensured her, albeit rather awkwardly.

Could one blame him? It was the first time that a girl said such a thing about him. How was he supposed to know how to act on it if it was all new for him?

She only smiled that that beautiful smile of hers, but that one smile spoke volumes for him.

After a couple of seconds, Squall hesitantly put his arms around her in a rather careful hug, almost scared that he would break her if he pressed too hard. Luckily, she returned the embrace without giving him a questioning look.

"Rinoa."

"Hmm?" she said, not missing a beat.

He couldn't help but notice how she didn't look at him this time.

Squall hesitated for a moment, running a gloved hand through his hair, but he took a deep breath and admitted slowly (because in his opinion, it was now or never), "...I missed you, too."

Rinoa didn't say anything but tried to pull him closer to her. That was enough for Squall to know that she cared.

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**A/N: I hope you like it. As you may or may not have noticed, I make mistakes. I'm looking for a beta reader and I would really, really appreciate it if someone would like to beta for me. Reviews are more than appreciated!**


	4. Dance

_~ It had all started with a forced and (not so) simple **dance**, where she had surprised him with her elegance._ ~

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**D.** - **Dance**

"I... can't dance."

"You'll be fine. Come on," she had said, grabbing his left arm and completely ignoring what he had said just a few seconds ago. "I'm looking for someone. I can't be on the dance floor alone."

She had had a point there... but why him?

It had all started with a forced and (not so) simple **dance**, where she had surprised him with her elegance and he had baffled her with the fact that he actually _could_ dance. Squall could remember that evening like it was yesterday, instead of nearly two years ago.

Squall, however, hadn't been kidding when he had told her that he couldn't dance. He had never done it outside his training. Rinoa had been nice enough to lead him through it. Halfway, he had started to walk away, but the rather persistant young woman had almost immediately taken a hold of his hand, dragging him back to the hell of the dancefloor, where he had even managed to bump into another dancing couple.

Squall should've shrugged her off and walked away again right then and there, but he hadn't. Instead, he had done quite the opposite; he had given her another chance to prove him that it could actually work. Why? He still didn't know.

In the end, however, they had both enjoyed themselves (and that was what mattered the most, right?). Even Squall, who had seemed to have grasped most of the steps, did. He even made it look natural enough to make people think that he had danced this for the umpteenth time.

"Liar, you're a great dancer!" Rinoa had whispered in his ear when she had been close enough to do so.

He had replied with his trademark "Whatever," hoping that she hadn't noticed the growing blush on his cheeks.

She probably had, though.

And then the fireworks in the end... They made it all complete, despite the fact that Rinoa had left so suddenly, without at least telling him her name.

That had been the beginning of their fairytale.

Squall was sure of one thing. In the end, it had all been worth it. All the humiliation and torture, all the cold "Whatever"s thrown at her... because if he hadn't seen her that night, if she hadn't been brave enough to make her way over to him, and most importantly, if she hadn't thought that he was the most handsome guy there, then he wouldn't have had a sleeping Rinoa in his arms now.

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**A/N: I hope you like it. Happy holidays! Reviews are appreciated!**


	5. Eyes

_~ She liked it when his **eyes** were stormy blue. Normally,_ _however, they were a depressing grey._ ~

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******E.** - Eyes

Squall's eyes, or rather, the intense shimmering when he had caught her gaze for the first time _ever_, were one of the main things that had attracted Rinoa that night of the dance. That, and the fact that he was very handsome and had some sort of mysterious aura around him. She had wanted to know everything about him as soon as she spotted him, standing there all alone under a pilar and calmly drinking a glass of champagne by himself; from how he got that massive and slightly intimidating scar on his forehead, to his deepest secrets and what he desired the most.

She liked it when his **eyes** were stormy blue. It usually meant that he was in a good mood, that he was truly happy with how things were going. Normally, however, they were a deep, depressing grey.

It made her often wonder if he was always sad, or depressed. If so, then why? She wanted to help him with it, but Rinoa already knew that he wasn't planning to show any sign of emotion. He would never open up in front of anyone. In his eyes, it was probably only a sign of weakness, of giving up. Who knew what was going on in his head?

...When she looked in the mirror, she could see that her eyes always had the same color: a dull dark brown. That was all. Nothing special, no fancy color. Although they shone brightly when she was happy and some people told her that that was what captivated them the most.

How that had happened, she didn't know.

Rinoa thought that it was pretty boring, though, only one eye color for as long as she lived. It was all she had, though. Seifer had said that he liked her eyes. He had told her that several times. So maybe Squall did, too?

Wait, she was deriving from the subject. Besides, as much as those two were alike qua behavior, it was their differences that made them look... well, different. There was no point to compare them to each other.

Anyways, she often found herself wishing that she could have Squall's eyes for herself, and only herself. That he would have his eyes on her, and her alone... How she loved getting lost in them and making her forget about everything that happened around her.

That was, until he would notice what she was doing. That was when he would look away swiftly, probably embarrassed, or maybe even nervous of her constant staring (she couldn't blame him here).

"Rinoa."

The calm, deep and somewhat monotone voice that she had started to love interrupted her train of thoughts right then and there.

"Huh?" And that was when she realized that this time, it was Squall who was staring right into her soul. "What is it, Squall?"

"Care to explain why you're staring at me that way, instead of reading that book?"

Oh... he didn't sound too happy. But then again, he never did.

"Uh..."

Squall frowned, knowing _exactly_ what she was thinking.

"Well, don't. It's annoying... and creepy."

Rinoa hung her head in defeat and replied softly, "Okay... I won't."

They both returned to reading their books in silence. However, she couldn't help but continue staring at him after two minutes. Hyne, it was as though his eyes were attracting her.

Squall sighed. "Rinoa..."

"Okay, sorry! I won't stare anymore! Promise."


	6. Friendly

_~ She was always **friendly**, far too_ _friendly to bear even. And still, he couldn't help but feel more and more attracted to her, like a moth to a flame. ~_

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**F.** - **Friendly**

Rinoa was scanning the section with the Romance/Humor books, in the library. Squall was watching her from a distance, making sure she wouldn't spot him. She wasn't aware of that, that was sure. It would have been strange if she was, because he was hiding behind a bookshelf.

_No, not hiding. Just standing on a strategically useful and correct spot, _he thought, shaking his head slightly.

And if she ever found him here, then his life would be officially over. Hyne, he even felt slightly nervous about doing this.

The library was fairly deserted, save for him and the young woman he was currently spying (or should I say _stalking_?) on. Oh, and another girl who happened to enter the place at that moment. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was none other than Selphie Tilmitt. As soon as the bouncy girl spotted the raven-haired beauty, her face brightened slightly and she started approaching her.

"Hey, Rin. Can I ask you for a favor?" was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

Rinoa turned and nodded. "Sure. How can I help you?"

Squall couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. Of course Selphie would try and ask her to join her Festivall Committee sometime. Rinoa was so naive.

"Well, I've ordered some books..." she started.

Okay... so maybe it wasn't what he had thought first, but the day when she would ask her that was surely to come. That is, if she hadn't tried already.

"-But I heard that it takes a while until they get here and I've got so much to do, being the head of the Committee and stuff. Could you get those books for me from the library half an hour later?" Selphie pleaded.

"Oh, yeah sure. It's not like I have anything better to do now, anyway," Rinoa replied with a small smile tugging at her lips.

...She had a nice smile.

"Wow, thanks!"

"Oh, don't mention it. Good luck, Selph," Rinoa said, as she watched the hyper girl take her leave.

Rinoa was always so **friendly**, far too friendly to bear even. And still, despite that fact, he just couldn't help but feel more and more attracted to her, like a moth to a flame.

...Was it a curse? Was she trying to lure him into something?

"Hey, Squall," he suddenly heard from his left side. Wait... when did she get _here_?

Squall turned around and startled because of the fact that Rinoa was standing next to him now, he almost knocked over a few books. This caused Rinoa to giggle lightheartedly and him to blush slightly at his action and her reaction towards it.

A strategically useful and correct spot? As if. If Rinoa had been the enemy, then he would have been six feet under ground by now.

"Oh, I didn't know you were into romance novels," she commented, nodding at the book Squall was about to place back on its place. "How interesting. You seem to be more the guy that likes action/adventure and a good thriller every now and then."

She probably had no idea how true that was. All Squall could do at the moment, was staring dumbfoundedly at her, wondering if she could read his thoughts, or something.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around. Take care, Squall, and don't think too much. It's not healthy," she spoke, before leaving him, with his thoughts as his only companion.

That girl was truly unbelievable.


	7. Gazing

_~ Every night, she went outside, **gazing** up at the sky and the many stars, almost as though she was trying to count them. He would always watch her from a safe distance (so he wouldn't notice him), with his arms crossed, wondering for the umpteenth time what she could possibly be wishing for when he saw a falling star. ~_

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******G**. - Gazing

Squall walked toward the big field, knowing that he would find Rinoa there, too, since she was there every night, doing exactly the same thing as the previous night. When he reached the field, he just stood there, motionless like a statue. The wind gently caressed his silky smooth, yet unruly hair.

Every night, she went outside, **gazing** up at the sky and the many stars, almost as though she was trying to count them. He would always watch her from a safe distance (so he wouldn't notice him), with his arms crossed, wondering for the umpteenth time what she could possibly be wishing for when he saw a falling star.

Didn't a girl like her already have everything an average girl could possibly wish, or even want to die for? Money, parents, fame, angelic features, beautiful eyes, probably the softest lips that looked much like rose petals...

_No, no, no! Stop that_, he berated himself, before he could think any further.

Rinoa didn't have beautiful eyes... maybe. And her lips certainly didn't look like... that. To be honest, he didn't know why he even thought about that, or wondered how those lips would feel like on his. He had never had these thoughts around other girls, so what made her special from the others, like Selphie, or even Quistis?

_As if you don't know that already..._ a little voice inside his head said, but Squall chose to ignore that annoying voice, for now.

She looked so small, sitting there all alone and thinking a thousand-and-something thoughts without sharing them with anyone. He wondered if she had ever noticed his presence. If she did, she never acknowledged it, for her back was always turned to him.

It bothered him, though. Was she ignoring him? Was this a trick to get his attention? Or maybe he was looking too much in it. Maybe she really hadn't seen him.

"Whatever. I don't care," he muttered, annoyed with himself.

This caused her to gasp. She turned around and her eyes widened in surprise, only now noticing that she had company. Well, that pretty much answered his question.

"Squall!"

He merely grunted. Rinoa got up from her spot on the grass and walked over to him. Somehow, and he had honestly no idea why, he started to panick. Squall became more nervous than ever, wondering what in Hyne's name was wrong with him.

"You're here, too?" she asked, her dark, dark eyes shimmering brightly in the dim moonlight.

Squall nodded briefly, because he didn't trust his voice. Just then he saw that she was shivering slightly. Well, that wasn't too strange, since her clothes didn't even have sleeves. One would think that she wasn't smart enough to put on something warmer.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Kinda," she replied, still smiling at him.

Squall hesitated for a moment, but then took his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.

"What? N-no, you don't have to-" she started, but the male teen swiftly interrupted her, before he would change his mind.

"I insist."

After that, she accepted the jacket and they continued looking at the stars. Even though he was silent, she had to admit that she enjoyed his company. It was something that made her feel calm, at ease, as if nothing could go wrong when this brunet was with her. She knew that her thoughts made no sense, but it was nice to feel that way for a change.

"The stars look beautiful tonight," Rinoa remarked.

Squall only made a non-commital noise, while giving her a long side look. Stars couldn't be beautiful for one night. It just took her too long to figure out that stars always looked the same. But why bother and tell her, he thought. It wasn't his bussiness.

"Why are you looking at them every night?" he heard himself ask, before he could stop himself.

It took a couple of seconds for her to formulate a reply, but then she said, "I'm looking for someone."

Squall wanted to ask who she was looking for, but she continued speaking.

"My mother died when I was very little. I grew up with my father. Mom had told me once that whenever someone died, they would become a star and look out for the ones they loved the most. I'm looking for that star now. It's got to be the bright one overthere, because mom had the most amazing voice. She was beautiful and stood out against everyone else, just like this star is doing now. Wish I had her beauty."

Any other guy would've said now that Rinoa _was_ beautiful, but Squall wasn't "any other guy."

And sometimes... that hurt.

"Do you miss her?" Squall asked, before he bit his tongue at the stupidity of his question.

Of course she did and it probably hurt much more to lose your mother when you knew her, than when she died giving birth to you.

To be honest, he was surprised to hear that Rinoa's mother was no more. Maybe they were more alike than he realized now.

"Yeah, a lot," was all she said.

"What's it like to have a mother?" Squall wondered.

This time, it was Rinoa's turn to give him a surprised look, her eyes widened. "You mean..."

"My mother died giving birth to me," Squall explained, swiftly looking away.

Rinoa didn't know why, but she felt much like crying now. Poor Squall, was all she could think. Before she knew what exactly she was doing, she found herself in Squall's arms, giving him a firm hug.

"That's so sad," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"But life goes on," Squall replied, albeit slightly awkwardly, since he wasn't used to get this kind of attention.

...It felt kind of nice, though. As if she really cared about him. (But why should she?)

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**A/N: I hope you like it. Happy holidays! Reviews are more than appreciated!**


	8. Hope

_~ She seemed always so full of **hope**, as if she knew for sure that there would be a happy ending for all of them. Little did she know that it inspired him to believe in it, too. ~_

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**H.** - **Hope**

_Just great._

Squall ran a gloved hand through his dark, chestnut locks, after hearing the bad news of today. He felt much for banging his head on the oak desk, but fortunately, the more rational part of his brains refrained him from doing so. He didn't want to make an idiot out of himself in front of the whole school.

He sighed, wearily, holding his head in his hands for a while. He was _so_ not in the mood for this and his upcoming headache was a proof of it. Why did everything have to go wrong here? And why was he the one who had to fix all of it? Who did they think he was? _Hyne_? Frankly, he didn't even want to know.

Catching Rinoa staring at him (_as always_), he asked, somewhat bluntly, "What?"

"Relax, Squall. I'm sure it's all going to be okay. Just wait and see," Rinoa ensured Squall with a small smile.

The young woman held his gloved hand and squeezed it lightly. The silent male merely nodded briefly to show that he might agree with her, even if it was just a little, before he returned the gesture and squeezed back. This caused Rinoa to smile radiantly.

She seemed always so full of **hope**, as if she knew for sure that there would be a happy ending for all of them. As if she could see the future. It was quite adorable, to say the least and little did she know that it inspired him to believe in such a happy ending, too. Not only his way of thinking, but his acting, too, had changed thanks to her. He became more open to her and talked more about what bothered him.

Not that he actually had to talk about it. She always seemed to know exactly what was going on in his mind, despite the fact that Squall made it seem otherwise. It annoyed him to no end sometimes. Yet, at most times, he found himself being glad by it, too.


	9. Indifferent

_~ He may have seemed all tough and **indifferent **from the outside, but when Rinoa had mentioned Seifer, she saw something flicker in Squall's eyes. ~_

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**I.** - **Indifferent**

"I see," Squall said, nodding briefly, after a short silence.

After that, he looked away.

He may have seemed all tough and **indifferent **from the outside, but when Rinoa had mentioned Seifer and how she had spent her summer with him, she saw something flicker in Squall's eyes. Something that she couldn't quite place, since she had seen it for the very first time.

Was it hate? Surprise? Anger?

Sorrow? Pain? Disbelief?

Maybe something else? Or all of the aforementioned things?

Rinoa was sure she hadn't made it up, and it hadn't been because of the lights, either. She didn't know for sure what it was, but it worried her, to the point of staying awake late at night and wondering if she had done the right thing telling him. But if she hadn't told him now, he might have found out soon in a not so pleasant way. So this was better, right?

She could never be sure of what was going on inside that handsome head of her new crush. Whatever it was, he knew how to hide it well from her, deliberately or not.


	10. Joking

_~ "Squall, relax. I was only **joking**," she quickly said, when she saw that utterly strange look on his face before he walked away. He turned around, his eyes piercing right through her soul and he said, "Never joke about death, Rinoa. ~_

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******J.** - Joking

At once, the calm expression that Squall was wearing before disappeared. It was replaced by a deep scowl that made Rinoa's heart tremble with worry... and something else.

"Squall, relax. I was only **joking**," she quickly said, when she saw that utterly strange look on his face before he walked away.

The brunet teen just chose to ignore her and turned around to leave. However, Rinoa would have none of it. She quickly took a hold of his wrist, so he had to stop and face her again.

He turned around again, much to his own chagrin, with his eyes piercing right through her soul.

It felt as if time stood still at that moment and he said, more solemnly as ever, "Never joke about death, Rinoa."

After that, he walked away, leaving an utterly flabbergasted Rinoa behind. He didn't even give her the chance to apologize or ask any further. The young woman sighed, wearily. How was she supposed to know that he wouldn't find it funny?

_Never joke about death, Rinoa..._

Was it just her or...? Why did he react in such a negative way? Had something happened in the past?

"Hmm..."

It seemed that he was hiding something from him. What could it possibly be?

Rinoa shook her head at her silly thoughts. She was probably only seeing things. She shouldn't seek something strange behind everything, right?


	11. Knight

**A/N: Happy Valentine's Day!**

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_~ He was her **knight** in shining armor, she just knew that, just like she knew that it sounded actually kind of cliché. ~_

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**K. - Knight**

Rinoa sighed lightly, feeling how her heart started to beat faster. And there he was again, the new commander of Balamb Garden, walking in slowmotion like a cool, totally badass guy. Only the goggles were missing right now. And then his slightly long, thick and chestnut-colored hair and his cool greyish-blue eyes, with a gaze sharper and colder than ice.

He obviously didn't see her, but Rinoa silently watched his retreating back, with only one thought that was currently occupying her mind.

He was her **knight** in shining armor, she just knew that, just like she knew that it sounded actually kind of cliché.

That was why she wouldn't say it. If it sounded _this_ cheesy in her head, then imagine how it would sound in public! Especially if that public consisted of people like Squall.

She couldn't help but smile at that.

There were just too many signs that proved this point, though. Signs she couldn't ignore just like that. How many times had he saved her already? Three times? More? It certainly wasn't less. What she felt now, was much stronger than what she had felt for Seifer months (it seemed more like _ages_ now) ago.

Almost as if he felt her gaze resting on him, Squall suddenly turned his head sharply to the left to face her. Rinoa shuddered slightly, but that had more to do with the intense stare he gave her, rather than the cold. He lifted a brow at her, giving her a slightly questioning look, but Rinoa only smiled and shook her head, swiftly looking away when she felt a rosy blush spreading across her cheeks. Knight in shining armor or not, some of her thoughts were meant to stay a secret. Besides, he was a guy and guys didn't understand such things.

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**A/N: Hope you liked it. A review would be very nice on this special day. :)**


	12. Like

**A/N: I couldn't find enough inspiration for a longer drabble...**

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~ "_Let me guess... You'll only dance with someone you **like**. OK then... Look into my eyes... You're-going-to-like-me... You're-going-to-like-me... Did it work_?" ~

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**L. - Like**

There was one sentence of Rinoa that Squall just couldn't forget, no matter what. (Not that he actually wanted to forget it, but still.) It was the sentence what had started everything (save for her "_You're the best-looking guy here"_).

"_Let me guess... You'll only dance with someone you **like**. OK then... Look into my eyes... You're-going-to-like-me... You're-going-to-like-me... Did it work_?"

Well, if it wouldn't have worked then, then it certainly would have worked now if she tried. He could still remember what he had felt when she had said that: disappointment. After hesitating slightly, he had told her that he couldn't dance, but for the first time in his life, he had felt bad about that. How strange was that? Still, she had been persistant enough to tell him that he would be fine and that she couldn't be on the dancefloor alone, so she had practically dragged him to the dancefloor.

...And he thanked Hyne every day for the fact that she had been so persistant and that he just had let her have her way at that time. After all, that one action was what had changed his life completely, in the positive way.

Who knows what would have happened if he had resisted.


	13. Meanie

_~ "Meanie," she muttered, jokingly. His reply made her laugh, "Whatever." ~_

* * *

**M. - Meanie**

Squall sighed. Unfortunately for him, it was _that_ time of the year again. He honestly couldn't wait until it was finally over. Rinoa on the other hand, actually seemed to enjoy this "little" interrogation of hers... although it had more turned into a pleading session by now, since he didn't give in to her pleas.

"Pretty pretty please? With a cherry on top?" Rinoa pleaded, giving the only male in the room the sweetest look she could muster in hopes of getting what she wanted.

Squall gave her a heated _look_ in return that made Rinoa think that he certainly didn't like cherries. How typical of him.

"First of all, what in the _world_ does that even mean? And secondly: I already told you, the answer is _no,_" he told her, before returning to the magazine he was currently reading, _Weapons Monthly_.

It was his favorite magazine and if some people wouldn't annoy the heck out of him, he would really like to read it.

"But-" Rinoa started, only to be interrupted by her now thoroughly annoyed boyfriend.

"What part of 'No, you'll find out soon enough' don't you understand?" Squall asked her, frowning darkly.

"The part _'No, you'll find out soon enough'_," Rinoa replied, putting her hands on her hips as she faced him, defiantly.

"..."

Squall didn't say anything, because he honestly didn't know how to react. Instead, he turned to the next page of the magazine, attempting to read the monthly column and hoping that Rinoa would take the hint and leave him be. It seemed that she had other plans, though.

"Oh, come _on_, Squall! One _tiny_ little hint. That's all I'm asking for. I promise I'll leave you alone after that," Rinoa tried again, sitting down next to him and taking his gloved hands in hers.

This made him look back at her again. She made use of that moment by squeezing his hands softly and pouting in an adorable way, since she knew that there was no way her boyfriend could resist _that_.

Once again, she was proven that the brunette male could keep a secret if he wanted, as he told her with one word, "No."

Instantly, her face fell. "Meanie," she muttered, jokingly.

"Whatever."

His infamous reply made her laugh, despite her big disappointment.

As soon as she realized why she was disappointed in the first place, Rinoa sighed, wearily. She could have expected that Squall would never tell her what he had bought her as a birthday present, not even when she tortured him all day or kept nagging at him until he would finally give in... which he, by the way, still hadn't done. She had searched the whole house for that one gift that was wrapped in light blue wrapping-paper, but she had yet to find anything. Whatever it was that he was keeping away from her, he knew very well how to hide it, and _where_... Or maybe he hadn't bought it yet and now he was just bluffing to tease her?

No, that was so not Squall. Besides, then why had he acted so mysterious when she asked him what was in the package the he had brought with him two days ago? There was only one way to find out.

"Fine, then I'll find out what it is myself," she cried, somewhat dramatically, before getting up from the comfortable sofa and stomping out of the living room.

"Suit yourself," he muttered, rolling his stormy blue eyes.

He knew full well that she would never find the present. She hadn't succeeded for the past few days, so he had nothing to worry about. He had put it in a place where he knew she would never look. He was fairly sure of that, because he knew Rinoa and her weird traits and habits.

He listened to where Rinoa was heading to and then shook his head. She went upstairs, _again_. There was certainly no way she would find it there. He was smart enough to hide it somewhere... else, instead of in their bedroom. It was just a matter of time before she would give up once again and come back downstairs with empty hands. And in another few hours, it would start all over again...

He sighed. _Great_.

* * *

After turning the whole house upside down and inside out for what felt to be the hundredth time, Rinoa decided to take a short break to sort her thoughts. Maybe it would help.

"So... Where would I hide the present if I was Squall and I wouldn't want me- uh, I mean _Rinoa_ to find out about it?" Rinoa wondered, pacing her room back and forth, over and over again. When she reached the window, she automatically looked out of it, in order to get some inspiration. The big tree in the garden waved gently in the wind, almost as if it was dancing on a song that no human could hear. "Hmm..." She kept looking out of the window, as if the wind would bring her the right answer any moment.

So far, she had looked everywhere in the house, more than once; the bedrooms, the bathrooms, the kitchen, the living room, all the perfect hiding places. Yet, there was no trace of a present _anywhere_. It was _maddening_, really.

It was then that she suddenly got an idea. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it earlier?"

She quietly left the house, so Squall wouldn't hear her and stop her before she would find the present, and went outside.

So Squall thought that she couldn't find the gift herself? She would show him!

* * *

"Hey, Squall. Look what I've got?" Rinoa suddenly whispered in his ear in a chanting voice, almost startling him.

He knew right away that Rinoa was probably just teasing him, but he couldn't help but look up when she said that... only to see that she held a bag in her hand. His heart almost stopped beating right then and there.

_That's... impossible!_ he thought.

"Told ya I would find it myself," she spoke, triumphantly.

"Give it back," Squall said, his voice scarily calm.

He extended his hand towards the bag, but Rinoa was quick enough to hold it behind her back. "No... Finders keepers, remember?"

As soon as she had said that, Squall jumped up to grab the gift out of her hand. However, Rinoa, who had sensed what he was going to do (after all, Squall was _so_ predictable sometimes), jumped away, which made Squall miss.

"_Rinoa_..." he said, giving her a last warning look, indicating that he didn't tolerate this kind of behavior from her.

Who was he, her father?

Rinoa giggled, ignoring his look. "What is it? Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it can't wait. See ya. I'm gonna go upstairs and open-"

This time, Squall succeeded into taking a hold of Rinoa, and grabbing the present.

"Let go of me! _Squall_!"

Squall would have none of it, and a new struggle started with the present as a prize that had to be won. Squall profited from the fact that he was stronger and heavier than Rinoa, though, so he could easily pin her on the ground.

When he finally retrieved the bag with the present, he turned towards the raven-haired woman and told her, "Do that again and you won't get any present at all."

Rinoa huffed, indignantly, watching Squall's retreating back as he left the room to find a new hiding place for the present. That guy was _so_ impossible sometimes, it wasn't even funny anymore.

"_Drat!_ I should've opened the present when I had the chance to, instead of showing him first," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to the brunet.

At this, Squall turned around, so Rinoa could see the forming smirk on his face. "That's tough for you."

When he had left the room, and she was sure that he was out of earshot, Rinoa's own smirk appeared on her face and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Squall. You have _no idea_..."

Did he really think that she was _that_ dense? Of course she had opened the gift first, before entering the room he was in. She couldn't help it; it was in her nature to be curious. At least she could finally sleep peacefully, now that she knew what he had bought her. All she had to do now, was to practice her look of surprise when she opened the gift... again, so Squall wouldn't suspect anything.

"What's with the smile?" she suddenly heard from the doorway.

_Oh!_

Rinoa swiftly tried to hide her huge grin by giving Squall a bone-crushing hug that almost knocked him off-balance in the process. After all, she had to thank him somehow for having such a great taste. It almost made her wish her birthday was every day.

"Okay... And what was _that_ for?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to hug you," was all she said, before walking away.

"...Right."

Squall watched her go, a strange expression on his face.

That woman... was just _too weird _for words.


	14. No

**A/N: And here I thought I could finish this collection of one-shots before 2012 would even start...**

**Well, happy holidays! :D**

**Thanks: FifteenWishes, Niqsta, prilly55, Aithre Lenore-Light, JinJulia4eva, michelle. evans, and RoseOfADifferentColor, my new beta reader. Enjoy! :)**

**PS: I would really appreciate it if you could take a look at my new poll and vote for the pairings you'd like me to write about in my next KH challenge. SquallxRinoa's an option, too (and a popular one at that). Thanks in advance! :)**

* * *

_~ He started to find it harder and harder to say "**no**" to her, no matter what she would ask him to do for her this time. ~_

* * *

**N.** - **No**

"...And then we can have lunch together and after that, you're free to return to your work. So, how does that sound?"

A dry sigh escaped his lips, before he answered curtly for what seemed, the umpteenth time. "Not _now_, Rin."

The young woman sought nothing behind that voice, though. After all, this was her boyfriend's default personality. She knew that he didn't mean anything by it. However, there was something else about him that bothered her immensely, his incurable stubbornness. But that didn't mean Rinoa was defeated, not by a long shot.

On the contrary; she knew exactly what to do to get her way and she wouldn't stop until that happened. "But why not?"

Only silence greeted her question as Squall pretended to be busy with paperwork.

"Sq-"

"You know why..." he interrupted, before he would get another dramatic scene on the work floor (after all, that wouldn't be the first time and with someone like Rinoa, one could never be too sure about anything.)

"_Please_ Squall?" The Sorceress pleaded once again, as she pouted in quite an adorable way, hoping her face would persuade him to change his mind.

The brunet male sighed in exhaustion, averting his gaze in order to avoid her temptation, instead turning his attention back to the computer screen. It caused his chocolate-colored bangs to fall in front of his chiseled face, so he brushed it away with his gloved hand.

To be honest, he started to find it harder and harder to say "no" to her, no matter what task she asked of him. He'd already gone to different parties and other social gatherings with her, even though he was definitely not fond of social interaction. Personally, he had enough of that in his duties as Commander. However, he did it all for her, because he couldn't stand to see her sad.

However, now she was simply going too far. Apparently, she was under the impression that Squall was working too hard, even for Balamb Garden's Commander. That was why she was nagging at him to come out of this office for a breather and to get something to eat. Her efforts were proving to be somewhat futile, though. Admittedly, he was very tired and his muscles were crying in protest, as he hadn't moved from his chair in several hours, but those large stacks of utterly important papers weren't going to correct themselves.

Rinoa just had to see that, too. He needed them to be finished before the end of this week and the sooner this was over with, the sooner he would be able to spend more time with his beloved girlfriend. However, it seemed that they had different views about the way he worked and it was honestly starting to get a little frustrating now.

Rinoa sighed exasperatedly when she didn't get any reaction out of him. She really loved Squall, with all her heart, but she truly hated how stubborn he could be sometimes. She had tried everything already; begging, throwing a tantrum, making a joke of it, giving very obvious hints (that he either didn't catch or simply ignored) but he just wouldn't listen to her. Gosh, the things she had to do in the name of his personal improvement.

Of course, there was one other thing she hadn't tried yet. It was something that would surely give her what she wanted, for no man could resist her secret weapon. But to be honest, she didn't really dare to try her final trump card. What if he wouldn't fall for it? Or what if her act would only make things worse?

On the other hand, if she didn't do anything now, Squall would probably pull another all nighter again and that way, it was more likely for him to catch a cold... or _worse_.

No, she certainly couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let him hole up in his office all night.

Rinoa sniffed, before crying in a heart-breaking voice, "You don't love me anymore, do you? Is that it? I-I just know that's the reason. I can feel it in the way you're ignoring me all the time... You hate me!"

With a start, Squall turned back again, wondering what this nonsense was all about. Honestly, she could be such a drama queen sometimes and it was always for the smallest issues. But now he could see that his girlfriend had started crying. At first, he thought she had been faking, just in need of some attention. However, when she removed her hands from her face, he could see that her makeup was starting to run.

Shit, that was not what he'd wanted to happen. Now that the tears were running fully over her cheeks, he visibly started to panic. Her tears made something break deep inside of him.

He got up to embrace the raven-haired woman and she just let him take her in his arms. While stroking her hair, hoping to calm her down, he whispered, "Rin, don't say that. You know I still love you, really. I'm sorry I upset you. It's just that..."

He paused, not able to find the right words. "I can't... uh... _Fine_, I'll go outside with you for a short break."

She looked up at him, her chocolate-like eyes widening in disbelief. "...R-really?"

Squall took his chance to wipe her tears away, as he reassured her with a small smile, "Yeah, sure. Just don't cry anymore... You look scary enough already with your mascara running out."

This earned him a smack on the shoulder, before she got serious again. "Thanks!" She gave him a fierce hug, before taking his hand and pulling him towards the door.

"C'mon! I heard from Selphie that there's a cool restaurant only a few blocks away. Let's go there!" She encouraged, dragging him further from the office.

"Okay..."

Squall narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her sudden change of mood. Something wasn't quite right here, but he couldn't really put his finger on it...

Of course, it didn't take him too long to realize that Rinoa had played him like a _fiddle_. Hyne, how could he possibly have been so_ blind_ towards her? She was going to pay for that. He didn't know how yet, but that was just a matter of time...


	15. Observing

**A/N: This was originally chapter 54 of my drabble challenge "100 New Possibilities," but I couldn't resist expanding it. This probably doesn't make much sense, but I hope you'll still like it. :) It's the longest chapter I made for this story so far.**

**Thanks: K-chanLovesAnimeXD and M. L. Ayala, my beta reader.**

* * *

_~ "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't like the way you're **observing **me?" he asked irritably through clenched teeth. It pissed him off even more that she started to smile. ("Uh... nope.") ~_

* * *

**O. - Observing**

Pure silence surrounded Squall, with only the scratching sound of paper on pen that interrupted the serenity every now and then. However, for some reason or another, something just didn't feel right anymore. For hours on end, he'd been working at top speed to read these papers and sign them, but now he couldn't concentrate on his work anymore, no matter how hard he tried. It was as though someone was watching his every move and that made his patience wear thin. The brunet could almost swear that he could feel eyes on him. Naturally, it didn't take Squall too long to realize what had caused this. He didn't even look up from his work to acknowledge her presence, because usually when he felt like this, she was always near him.

"Rinoa..." the brunet male started warningly, trying not to sound like he was actually _this_ close to exploding (that wouldn't solve anything. In fact, it would only make matters worse).

"What?" she said, innocently, as if she had absolutely no idea why the man was annoyed now.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't like the way you're observing me?" he asked irritably through clenched teeth.

He honestly had no idea why she was so interested in everything he did. This wasn't a simple crush anymore; it started to look an awful lot like an obsession, since she wouldn't let him alone anymore.

It pissed him even more off that she started to smile, almost knowingly. "Uh... nope. Never."

"Well, it's annoying. _Stop it_," he replied with a deep frown, even though something told him that it would be of no use.

After all, when had she ever actually listened to him? What was even stranger was the fact that she just stood there in the room, looking up at him with those big questioning eyes. Was she expecting him to do something now? It surely looked like it... But what could that be? Was this some stupid girl-thing that guys like him didn't understand? He sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. He _so_ wasn't in the mood for this today. Didn't Rinoa already know that he sucked at picking up vague hints? Then why was she still torturing him like this?

Eventually, when he couldn't take her staring anymore, he asked, "Is there something I should know about?"

This actually seemed to surprise her immensely. "You mean... You don't notice anything different about me... at all?" she asked, the disappointment evident in her voice. "I was kinda expecting you to notice it right away, since you usually have an eye for details..."

_Something different?_ he wondered, as he raised a dark brow.

He took his time to examine his girlfriend closely. Now that she'd mentioned it... no. Nothing. At all. It made him wonder if he really was _that_ blind, or if the change she was talking about was just too insignificant to be even called a 'detail.' Perhaps he didn't see it because it was simply too dark in the room. Squall blinked, rather confused. Rinoa did the same, obviously waiting for an answer.

He sighed deeply, as he looked at her again. "You got new shoes?" he guessed, while trying not to sound too disinterested (knowing her, that would piss her off even more).

"No..." she replied, patiently. "Guess again."

_Not again... What else could it be?_

"New clothes?" he tried again.

"Nope," she replied. "Try again."

At this point, he honestly had no idea... until she started twirling her hair. Then it became a little too obvious _not_ to notice anything.

That was when he saw it. "New haircut?"

"Yeah! That's right."

Oh... _that_. Of course, how could he not have seen that? he thought, sarcastically.

Honestly, why oh why did she have to be so difficult about it? What would she achieve with it? He really didn't get women, especially not the one that stood in front of him, he was sure of that.

"And...?" she started again, tapping with her right foot on the floor.

From that tone in her voice, he could clearly tell that the ebony-haired woman was more curious than ever. He should be scared now...

"'And' _what_?" Squall asked slowly, narrowing his eyes and preparing himself mentally for what would come next.

With someone like Rinoa, one could never know.

"_And,_ what do you think of it? Do you like it?" she asked, turning around once, so that her boyfriend could see the back of it, too.

"Uh..."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled assuringly at him. "Oh, c'mon. You can be honest with me, Squall."

"Okay..." Squall thought about it for a moment, his brows knitting together, before replying truthfully, "It could've been a little less... short."

...And that was the first mistake he made.

At once, her attitude changed, almost as though suddenly, she was possessed by some angry spirit.

Narrowing her dark chocolate-like eyes, she put her hands on her hips and asked in a much higher voice, "What do you mean by that?"

"Uh... I guess exactly as I said it." When he saw that dangerous look in her eyes that surely promised no good, he wanted to add something like, "But maybe that's just me. I guess I'll have to get used to it," but she didn't give him the chance for that.

"Oh, is that really what you think, huh? Well, I'm sorry I'm not perfect enough for you, oh great Commander. Is there anything else you wish?"

That took the man completely off guard. "Rinoa, what's gotten into-"

"No, please don't take your words back, because you're always right, isn't it? Why in Hyne's name do you have to be so harsh about _everything_, Squall? I'm getting sick of it!"

"What are you talking-" he started, only to be interrupted once again.

"You never bother to look at me anymore, locking yourself up into your room and then you still dare to criticize me? You have some guts, Mister!"

When the raven-haired woman finally seemed to be done with her tirade, Squall tried to reach over to her, "Rinoa, I'm really not into the mood for this-"

"Not in the _mood_? Ugh, you really are _impossible_, you know that! I wonder if you ever are in the mood to actually do something that doesn't involve your job. Actually, never mind. I don't want to know. Good night, Squall."

With that being said, she abruptly turned around and prepared to leave, but Squall didn't plan on letting her get away with it just like that. "So first you say I can be honest with you about my thoughts, but when I do, you insinuate that you'd rather wanted me to lie about it? And now _you're_ calling _me_ impossible? Get real."

This made her stop. It became eerily quiet in the room as seconds passed, making it seem like eternities. Then, without saying anything, she continued her way to the door and slammed it shut with the loudest _bang!_ Squall had ever heard. It was a wonder that the door didn't fall off its hinges.

Now that the first round of their argument was over, an unpleasant feeling took over Squall. He recognized it immediately: guilt. He decided that this was the last time he would be actually honest to her. Seriously, to hell with honesty. It only got him into more trouble than when he lied about something.

The brunet male guessed that it was _that_ time of the month again, for there was no other explanation for Rinoa's actions than that. She always became emotional during that time, so it was either that, or a weird girl-thing that men couldn't possibly understand. Perhaps it was better to apologize now, because if he waited any longer, she might let him sleep in the garage. Surely, that had never happened before, but with someone like Rinoa, one can never be too sure about anything. With that, he got up from his place and went to the living room first. This way, he could check if the TV and the lamps were turned off, for he wanted to sleep after he had talked with Rinoa.

As soon as he had thought about what to say to her in order to ease her mind again, Rinoa entered the living-room, carrying a huge pile that consisted of a blanket and a pillow in her arms. She dropped it unceremoniously on the couch, not making any eye contact with Squall who stood next to the couch, and turned around to leave again.

It took a moment for him to figure out what this gesture meant, but when he did, Squall quickly said, "Wait… you don't have to sleep on the couch."

She would be all cold and uncomfortable the whole night, not to mention incredibly stiff the next day. That, and he didn't want to sleep without her, because he would be cold all night, too, no matter how many blankets he used. There was no blanket that could replace his Rinoa.

"Don't worry. I won't, 'cause that will be _your_ job," she replied, sharply.

This, he certainly hadn't expected to hear. Squall sighed, running a gloveless hand though his chocolate-colored hair. Of course she would try to make this the most uncomfortable night of his life.

Women.

He'd better do something about it now, because he hated sleeping on the couch. It would leave him with major back problems for the rest of his life and there would be no massage that could change that fact.

"Rinoa," he started. "Come on, you're not serious, are you? This doesn't make any sense!"

The raven-haired beauty gave him an extremely cold stare, indicating that she was dead serious about what she had said. "Oh, you think I'm joking? Nu-huh. Not this time, buddy."

"But the couch... it's too small for me. I won't fit on it."

"Not my problem," she said in a sing-song voice.

"...How can you be so _heartless_?" Squall asked, his frown growing deeper.

"Hah! Heartless? Seriously? Says who!"

She didn't give him the time to come up with something else, because she left the room and went straight to their shared bedroom. The commander waited for a moment, before making up his mind and following the ebony-haired woman. Their bedroom door was slightly ajar. He opened it soundlessly and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to notice him. She had just changed clothes. At that same moment, she looked in the mirror and they happened to make eye contact.

She yelped and her eyes widened considerably, obviously not expecting him to be standing there, as she swiftly turned around. Squall didn't get this weird behavior of hers. It wasn't like he had never watched her change clothes before...

"Are you watching me? I knew you were heartless, but now you're a perv, too? You never cease to surprise me, Squall."

"I'm your boyfriend. I have the right to watch you."

That made her blush.

Wait... did he really just say that aloud? It had sounded much better in his head, not to mention less-

"_So_?" she said, looking at him defiantly and putting her hands on her hips.

That just didn't make sense at all and he knew that she knew that, too. It was almost cute how she was saying pure nonsense when she was mad like this. This made him think... Maybe he should try another tactic. And if this didn't help, then nothing would.

He stepped forward and caught her in his arms. Gently grasping her chin between his thumb and index finger, he bent forward slightly.

However, when the raven-haired woman realized what he was trying to do, she tried pushing him away from her. "Oh no. Kissing me won't change a thing, Mister! You're going to sleep on the couch tonight and that's my final-"

Squall effectively silenced her by kissing her. When he was absolutely sure that she wouldn't interrupt him anymore, he pulled away and admitted, "Look, I'm really sorry for hurting you. I didn't mean to and it won't happen again, promise. I was just tired. Forgive me?"

The intensity of his stormy blue eyes made her look away. Eventually, she nodded.

"So I can just sleep in my own bed now, right?" he asked, just to be sure she wouldn't bite his head off if he stayed here.

"...Yes, but only because you're my favorite pillow. Next time, you won't get away with it that easily," she said, jokingly.

"Thanks..." A small smirk appeared on his face, as he whispered, "Sucker."

Did she really think that he meant anything of what he said? Unbelievable. If he had known that it would be this easy-

At once, Rinoa turned around again, giving him a questioning look. "Did you say something?"

Squall was quick to suppress his grin. "Uh... I only said that I love you."

She smiled. "Aww, you're so sweet! I love you, too, Squall!"

That was a close one...


	16. Promised

**A/N: I know it's pretty short, but enjoy. :)**

**Thanks: M. L. Ayala, my beta reader. Without her, I'd be lost.**

* * *

_~ He had **promised** her that they would meet again in the flower fields, so she was waiting patiently for that day to come. ~_

* * *

**P. - Promised**

The sky had never looked this blue before and the sun was shining brightly, leaving absolutely no room for clouds to appear in the overly blue sky. Rinoa loved the way it warmed her skin and made the cold around her slowly melt away. She hadn't felt this alive for quite a while, free from the burden that saddened her. And then the lovely flowery scent that penetrated her nostrils. To be honest, she wouldn't mind staying here all day.

Of course, that wasn't the main reason why she was here.

He had **promised** her that they would meet again in the flower fields, so she was waiting patiently for that day to come.

Like a promised land. Their safe haven, where nothing (no one) could harm them. A place where they could be together, find each other when they were lost. The raven-haired girl really missed him. His warm embrace that would always manage to ease her mind, as soon as she let herself sink in his arms... His deep voice and reassuring words about how everything would be alright in the end. She would always believe him, because she knew he would never lie to her... His steady heartbeat that she felt more rather than heard... The way he would allow her to fall right in his arms. She longed for all of it.

However, minutes turned into hours, into days, and there was still no trace of Squall. It made her start doubting. Why wasn't he here already? Did he forget about time? Was he lost? Did he... Could he really have forgotten about the promise they made? No, that couldn't be true. That wasn't like Squall. He never forgot anything, especially when it was this important. He cared about her, right? Even if he never tried to show it.

The ebony-haired teen sighed. "Maybe... waiting isn't good enough."

Perhaps she should act now (before it was too late?). If he wasn't coming here by himself, then he might be in trouble (or worse...). She should bring him here herself, even if that was the last thing she would do.

If only there was a way she could-

That was when realization dawned upon her, making her laugh lightly. "Oh. Of course! Why didn't I think of that earlier?"

The young woman smiled, shaking her head. All that worrying about Squall had almost forget about her Sorceress powers.


	17. Quiet

**A/N: Enjoy. :)**

**Thanks: hikauchi, Bebedora, and MaroonAngel of Darkness.**

* * *

_~ He was known for being the **quiet** one. She filled his silence nicely with with her constant talking, but he didn't mind anymore. It was almost... soothing to listen to her, even though it was often mindless chatter. ~_

* * *

**Q.** - **Quiet**

It was silent in the living room, with the ticking of the clock being the only sound breaking the silence. Squall and Rinoa were sitting on the comfortable couch, the former just staring off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. Squall didn't seem to notice that his girlfriend was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, instead of reading the glossy magazine that was lying in her lap, completely neglected, because the person next to her was much more interesting.

He was known for being the **quiet** one. It was old news, really. She on the other hand, filled his silence nicely with with her constant talking, but he didn't mind anymore. It was almost... soothing to listen to her, even though it was often mindless chatter.

It was kinda like having a pet, a parakeet, at home; the way it would always wistle would never make you feel alone. You'd get used to it and start appreciate the music it was making. Rinoa made him feel the same way, she would always be missed.

He knew that Rinoa was getting used to the quiet, too, and she had even grown fond of them (just like he'd grown fond of her chatting), because they were familiar and reassuring. At least, that was what he liked to think.

After a moment of silence between them, Rinoa suddenly noticed something peculiar and she turned her body to Squall.

She frowned, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Huh, what is that?"

After reaching forward, she brushed aside his brown bangs. However, as soon as she touched his forehead with her fingertips, Squall violently jerked his head away from her touch, almost as though he'd just been electrocuted.

Rinoa pouted in a rather cute way. "Hey, I wasn't going to hurt you," she noted, feeling completely wrong footed because of his inexplicable reaction.

"Sorry..." came the terse reply, but he didn't look at her.

_Okay..._

"Squall, is there something wrong?" the young woman asked, worried now.

The brunet's razor sharp gaze seemed to go right through her as he replied, "I'm fine. I just... got startled by the sudden movement."

"Oh... I see."

Except that Squall _never_ got startled by anything. He was the fearless Commander Leonhart of Balamb Garden, after all! Something just felt off, the ebony-haired beauty mused quietly. The question was what?

What the raven-haired beauty didn't know, though, was that there was something that nobody knew about Squall. Something that the brunet young man hoped nobody would ever find out. But unfortunately for him, it wouldn't stay a secret for her for that long.

_Hmm... maybe if I try again? _she thought.

Again, she let the tips of her finger ghost over Squall's scar, again with pretty much the same effect. This time, however, Squall grabbed her wrist in a tight hold and growled warningly, "_Rinoa..."_

"What?" she replied innocently, her big eyes staring at him questioningly. "Why are you so-" Rinoa's dark, chocolate-colored eyes widened in surprise and she gasped when she figured it out. "Oh my Hyne, Squall! Are you... ticklish?"

Squall blushed, but didn't reply. After all, anything he would say now would be used against him, anyway.

When he caught that unnervingly mischievous look on her face he decided that it was time to get out of the room, so he got up from the comfortable couch, ready to flee. "Stay away from me. I know what you're thinking and it's not going to happen."

"Uh-huh..." she said with a grin, taking a small step towards him.

Yes, she was_ definitely_ up to something.

"No, I'm warning you. I won't let you-" Squall started solemnly, pointing a finger at her, but he didn't finish his sentence when he bumped into the coffee table behind him. Rinoa immediately took her chance and started tickling him. At once, a rather uncharacteristic snort escaped the brunet swordsman. "Stop it!" he ordered, but unlike his recruits, Rinoa didn't care that he was a commander, so she ignored him and went on.

Eventually, after some wrestling, the man managed to pin her hands above her on the ground, pressing his body against her in such a way that no escape was possible. He had learned not to take any risks when it came to her. Angelic or not, this woman could act like a devil in disguise sometimes.

Rinoa laughed nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's time for a taste of your own medicin," he said darkly, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Her eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn't dare!" she whispered.

"Oh no?" He let out a low chuckle. "Think again..."

She gulped and at that moment, Rinoa realized a little too late that maybe some secrets should have stayed just that; a secret...


	18. Restless

**A/N: I know that updates are very few and far in between (not to mention that the chapters are pretty short, too), but I hope you still enjoy them. :)**

**Thanks: hikauchi, Bebedora, MaroonAngel of Darkness, Hemithea, and ohnoitisKatie.**

* * *

_~ They were both **restless** in a way, so maybe they could help each other out now and then? ~_

* * *

**R.** - **Restless**

Rinoa glanced briefly at the clock on the opposite wall, much like she had done every five minutes. Squall always went training when he was feeling a little restless and she honestly couldn't blame him for that. It was his way of living and she fully understood that, she really did. But it was so unbelievably _boring_ without him being around her.

She would never tell him that, of course. After all, he would only reward her with a semi-indifferent "Whatever."

Actually, they were both **restless** in a way (though her restlessness should be blamed on the fact that she missed him), so maybe they could help each other out now and then?

Surely, the brunet wouldn't mind that. Rinoa knew that he would never voice his thoughts, but he wouldn't tell her to stop, either.

Just when the raven-haired beauty wanted to call him, she heard the front door close, meaning that he was home. This sound was followed by two heavy thuds that indicated that Squall had taken off his boots. He only did that when he was tired or when she had mopped the floor. Since she hadn't done the latter today, the poor man was probably exhausted. It didn't matter to her, though; Squall was always extra huggable (and irritable) when he was tired, anyway. After all, he couldn't protest for that long, although she was sure that he liked her hugs, even though he stayed quiet about it.

However, Rinoa wasn't prepared to see her Squall sweaty and shirtless, his hair a mess, but still thick and glossy and just absolutely fabulous. So naturally, when he appeared in the doorway, her mouth dropped open in sheer surprise (and awe).

"What?" he asked with mild interest, and his eyes seemed to glow faintly, making him look even more handsome.

Rinoa opened her mouth and closed it again, unable to form any words other than "_Wow_!"

The man sighed, running a gloved hand through his chocolate-colored locks, not knowing. "Are you okay?" he asked now, stepping closer to her.

She blushed. Was she okay? Hyne, if only he knew what he was doing to her. All that trained had paid off, she could clearly tell that from his muscular form...

"I'm fine," she chirped, looking away, while trying to control her heartbeat. In an attempt to change the subject, the raven-haired woman asked, "Where's your shirt?"

"I got in a fight and...a monster tore it apart," was the simple explanation.

Of course...

"Well, then I should thank the monster for doing that," Rinoa muttered, more to herself than to her boyfriend.

Squall raised a finely arched eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Er... nothing!"

The poor woman didn't know how quickly she should get out of the room. But could you blame her? It wasn't like Squall walked in like this every day... But she wouldn't mind if it happened more often; she could get used to it.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: _"Don't worry. Telling me what you think of it won't _****scar** me for life," he said with that perfect monotone voice. Rinoa couldn't help but glance up at the massive scar on the bridge of his nose and wonder if he was being sarcastic again, or not.


	19. Scar

**A/N: This takes place years after FFVIII. Hope you enjoy. :D**

**Thanks: Bebedora, MaroonAngel of Darkness, and sandhia100. :)**

* * *

_~ "Don't worry. Telling me what you think of it won't **scar** me for life," he said with that perfect monotone voice. Rinoa couldn't help but glance up at the massive scar on the bridge of his nose and wonder if he was being sarcastic again, or not. ~_

* * *

**S.** - **Scar**

"What about Terra?" Rinoa made a face from where she was lying in the bed right next to him, but he had honestly no idea what that expression meant. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that..." she started, but Rinoa was unsure of how to continue without hurting her husband's feelings.

"Don't worry. Telling me what you think of it won't **scar** me for life," he said with that perfectly monotone voice of his. Rinoa couldn't help but glance up at the massive scar on the bridge of his nose and wonder if he was being sarcastic again, or not.

However, the softness in his stormy blue eyes told her that he meant it in a positive way. It was probably the prospect of him becoming a father that had beaten his calloused side out of him, but the raven-haired woman thought that it was really endearing. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if he cried tears of joy at the sight of his daughter. A crying Squall was something you didn't see every day...

"I uhm... Maybe we should choose a different name for her, you know," she admitted carefully. "I mean, you have no idea how much _I've_ been bullied because of _my_ name."

"Really?" Squall asked, surprised. He shifted slightly, so he could face her and now she could read the bewilderment in his beautiful eyes. "What did they do?"

"They called me 'Rhino' all the time. I know it might not be something to be upset about now, but it did hurt when I was young."

"Oh..." He was silent for a moment, as he let those words sink in. "Then we can't let that happen to our daughter, right?"

She shook her head, her hand automatically drifting back to her belly. "Nope...and judging by her excited kicks, I think that your daughter agrees with me on this one."

A minuscule smile appeared on his chiseled face, as he hesitantly brought his hand closer to hers. "Can I...?" he asked, a hopeful glint evident in his eyes.

"Sure," the ebony-haired woman said with a smile, and she took his hand in hers to let him feel how the baby was still kicking, as if she wanted to let them know that she was listening, too.

It would take another month for the two of them to agree on a name for the baby, but that didn't matter to them; taking small steps felt much better than taking hasty decisions, anyway. And there was still some time left before the dynamic duo would consist of three people.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: _"Sometimes, he had to wonder if she was _****testing** him again, when she said something strange.


	20. Testing

**A/N: Lol, these drabbles are getting shorter and shorter.**

**Thanks: Bebedora, MaroonAngel of Darkness, and KeyBlader99. :)**

* * *

_~ __Sometimes, he had to wonder if she was testing him again, when she said something strange._ ~

* * *

**T. - Testing**

"Well, then maybe a nice massage could help you loosen up a bit."

Squall raised a finely arched brow at her odd (for a lack of better word) suggestion. "_Excuse_ me?"

Sometimes, he really had to wonder if she was **testing** him again, when she said something strange like now.

Usually, though, she was being serious, no matter how weird the things were that she said. Another reason he should be scared.

"A massage, silly," Rinoa repeated, the beginnings of a smile adorning her angelic face when she caught that incredulous look on his chiseled face. "You're tired and moody. So it could do wonders for you, especially with such a tense back."

She prodded his back with her index finger for good measure, and he responded with a mild glare that clearly told her to stop that.

"No, thanks."

"Oh c'mon, Squall! Don't tell me you feel embarrassed around your own girlfriend."

"I'm not," he quickly said, but Rinoa went on like nothing happened.

"Or do you think that I suck at giving massages?"

"No, I'm fi-"

Before the brunet man could even finish his sentence, Rinoa had situated herself behind him, taken off his leather coat and was gently kneading his shoulders. Whatever it was that the dark-haired man had wanted to say, he was taking it back now.

_Okay, maybe not_, he thought, when he felt Rinoa's soothing touches on his shoulder.

"Relax, Squall. It's not like I'm going to hurt you."

Slowly, but expertly, her hands traveled lower, to his back and Squall let out a satisfied sigh as his girlfriend's fingers worked its magic. He couldn't deny it now; it felt great. Rinoa was a massage goddess.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" she asked softly. The dark-haired man grunted in response, but she could tell that he really liked it. "I told you so."

And by the time she was done with him, Squall would become a very sleepy, but very happy puddle of goo.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: _He still didn't seem to _****understand** what that girl found so interesting about him that she never left him alone anymore. But then again, the world had more (unsolvable) mysteries these days.


	21. Understand

**A/N: Special t****hanks to: MaroonAngel of Darkness, Rebekka, and Bebedora. :)**

* * *

_~ He still didn't seem to **understand** what that girl found so interesting about him that she never left him alone anymore. But then again, the world had more (unsolvable) mysteries these days. ~_

* * *

**U. - Understand**

_About time he got home_, Rinoa mused silently.

As soon as the raven-haired woman spotted him, she beamed. "Hi," Rinoa spoke, as she got up from the couch and walked over to him.

His response was a little slower than usual, which indicated that this had been a very tiring day for him. The fact that he was wet through made her feel even worse for him.

"...Hi."

Squall took off his leather jacket and hung it up to let it dry. His gloves followed quickly after that, which he put in the jacket's pockets.

Despite her slight disappointment at his passiveness, she asked, "Did you eat?"

Squall sighed. He still didn't seem to **understand** what that girl found so interesting about him that she never left him alone anymore. But then again, the world had more (unsolvable) mysteries these days.

Besides, he kind of liked the attention, but only if it came from her. She probably didn't even know how cute she looked when she looked up at him with those big, brown eyes... And he wasn't going to tell her, because knowing her, Rinoa would only use it against him.

"...Did _you_ eat?" the brunet inquired, as he ran a hand through his slightly damp hair.

Rinoa put her hands on her hips. "Are you copying me?"

Unable to resist, Squall mimicked, "Are you copying me?"

She pouted, before she came up with another idea. "I love you!"

"...Yes, I ate already."

"Squall!" Rinoa exclaimed, exasperated, while smacking his arm.

Unable to hide the smirk any longer, Squall sighed lightly. "Fine, I love you too."

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: _His voice was like magic; it was deep and even though it seemed forced sometimes, - monotone even - she thought that it was still pleasant to the ears._**


	22. Voice

**A/N: ****Special thanks to: MaroonAngel of Darkness, Bebedora, Walker of Nothing, ohnoitisKatie, and Charly117.**** :)**

* * *

_~ To her, his **voice** was like magic; it was deep and even though it seemed forced sometimes, - monotone even - she thought that it was still pleasant to the ears. ~_

* * *

**V. - Voice**

The soft sound of approaching footsteps had made her look up, hopeful and scared at the same time.

When Squall walked - no, _stagger__ed_ - over to her, she immediately dropped whatever she'd been holding and rushed over to him to give him a bone-crushing hug. Rinoa honestly didn't care that she probably looked like an idiot, what with the way she was clinging to her husband like a frightened child. She had all the right to act this way after not having heard anything from him for so long.

Just when Squall had overcome his initial surprise and wanted to put his arms around her, the raven-haired woman pushed him away roughly. It almost made him lose his balance, because he had to put all his weight on one leg now. His brows furrowed in pure confusion, not sure what was wrong. This was not how he'd imagined his homecoming.

"Rin, what's-"

"Do you have_ any_ idea what I've been through these past few days!? You were supposed to come back from your mission three days ago! But did you even _bother_ to let me know that it would take a while!?" At this point, Rinoa was yelling at him in blind rage. The thought of losing him was so unbearable that she couldn't control herself anymore. "No calls, no notes, nothing! Did you even care how worried I was!? I thought you were... th-that you-"

Before she could stop herself, something inside her broke and she burst into tears.

This time, Squall was quick to pull her into a tight embrace and she didn't fight him. "I'm sorry," he whispered truthfully. "I know I promised to be home by then, but... We were in the middle of nowhere. We had no signal."

Squall kept whispering sweet nothings in her ear until her breathing had calmed down a little.

To her, his **voice** was like magic; it was deep and even though it seemed forced sometimes, - monotone even - she thought that it was still pleasant to the ears.

And right now, it was, without a doubt, the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

After a while, when her panic had subdued and she was sure she could trust her voice again, she asked softly, "What happened to your leg?"

"A monster left me a nice present," he replied through gritted teeth.

At that, Rinoa looked up at him with big eyes. His grimace was all it took for her to snap into action. Before the brunet man could even blink, she had him seated on the couch and was giving him butterfly kisses everywhere to ease the pain somewhat.

Despite the pain he felt, Squall's heart fluttered when he watched her inspecting his thigh. He knew that from now on, Rinoa would spoil him rotten until his leg was healed completely. Nothing would be able to change her mind, so why not enjoy it for as long as it would last?

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter: _"Go talk to a _****wall**," he said uninterested, leaving the poor young woman alone in the room.


	23. Wall

**A/N: Whoa, short chapter is short...**

**Special thanks to: Walker of Nothing, ohnoitisKatie, Bebedora, and rinoaangelo. ****:)**

* * *

_~ __"Go talk to a **wall**," he said uninterested, leaving the poor young woman alone in the room._ ~

* * *

**W. - Wall**

Quistis's office door was open, so Rinoa guessed that she could go in right away. Just when she entered said office, Squall apparently decided to leave. He didn't even give Rinoa the time to greet him when he brushed past her.

"But Squall, all I wanted to say was-"

"Go talk to a **wall**," he said uninterested, leaving the poor young woman alone in the room.

Quistis's mouth dropped open in disbelief as she stared at the closed door. It was as though she wasn't sure what had happened. Or maybe she just couldn't believe that Squall had talked to her in that manner. Rinoa tried not to laugh when the room became awkwardly silent, save for the ticking of the clock on the nearby wall.

The blonde blinked, still looking rather dazed. "That's the second time he said that to me! Can you believe it? How in the world do you manage with him?"

This made Rinoa laugh. "Believe it or not, but Squall's a real softy once you get to know him."

Quistis resisted the urge to roll her eyes and shook her head instead. "I'll believe_ that_ when I see it."

"Oh, don't mind him. He's just a little peeved today, because I woke him up a little too early. That's all," the ebony-haired woman admitted, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Something told Quistis that she didn't even want to know.

"But I digress," Rinoa continued just as cheerfully. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

* * *

**A/N: Wow, I can hardly believe that we've got only three more chapters left!**

**Next chapter: __****People who met him for the first time always thought that he was either suffering from ****xenophobia, or just was an extremely antisocial teenager. Sometimes, he wondered what her first impression of him had been, but he never asked her about it.**


	24. Xenophobia

**A/N: For those who were curious, this is what actually happened before the previous chapter. Not that Rinoa's ever going to find out...**

**Special thanks to: Walker of Nothing, Bebedora, MaroonAngel of Darkness, and Rebekka. ****:)**

* * *

_~ __People who met him for the first time always thought that he was either suffering from **xenophobia**, or just was an extremely antisocial teenager. Sometimes he wondered what her first impression of him had been, but he never asked her about it._ ~

* * *

**X. - Xenophobia**

People who met him for the first time always thought that he was either suffering from **xenophobia**, or that he just was an extremely antisocial teenager (or a combination of those two). Sometimes he wondered what _her_ first impression of him had been, but he never asked her about it.

It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to know, but...

...

_Whatever._

What a strange moment was it to think of silly things like first impressions, while he was being held hostage here... Squall didn't even know if he would make it to the next day. The human mind sure worked in weird ways. But perhaps the electricity overload had short circuited his brains. That would explain why his thoughts were so...disjointed and logical at the same time.

There were times that he wished he would just die already because of the _excruciating_ pain. He still hadn't forgotten about that time when Seifer had been the one who tried to electrocute him, but this...this felt at least a thousand times worse.

And when he thought of_ her_, he knew he had to hold on, no matter how hard it was.

Still, he wouldn't give out any information, no matter how strong the current was they were going to use...

Even if it meant that he would never see his angel again...

Time had become an illusion in this dark room, for Squall at least. He had no idea how long he'd been there, never mind how long he still had to be tortured before he was finally free to go. Not that it seemed like those guys - whoever they were - would let him go just like that. They'd been through so much trouble to be able to get him, the commander, the most useful person in this situation.

The last thing the brunet man thought about before losing consciousness was _her_ perfect smile. Then, everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: ****Next chapter: __****They were exactly like ****yin and yang; they complemented each other perfectly and were balanced. Or that was what she liked to think.**


	25. Yin and Yang

**A/N: ****Special thanks to: ohnoitisKatie, MaroonAngel of Darkness, Walker of Nothing, Bebedora, Chelles Rosales, jaffa3, and Mystics Apprentice, my lovely beta reader. ****:)**

* * *

_~ They were exactly like **yin and yang**; they complimented each other perfectly... They were balanced. At least, that was what she liked to tell him. ~_

* * *

**Y. - Yin and Yang**

The streets were silent and dark. If Squall had been able to feel the biting cold February wind, it would have made him even more grumpy. However, the snow had done a great job at numbing all his senses.

Lucky him.

It was past midnight when the brunet man finally arrived at his apartment. Not only was his face numb by then, but he'd lost sensation in both his fingers _and_ toes, even if those parts of his body were fully covered. Needless to say, the man had some trouble opening the front door.

As soon as he'd made it inside (it already felt as though his fingers were being punctured by at least a thousand invisible needles), Squall didn't waste any time taking off his heavy boots and leather jacket before heading to the bedroom. The door was slightly ajar; he already knew that _she_ had left it open for him, so he could sneak in without waking her up. The man felt a pang of guilt at the realization that Rinoa had been waiting so long for him, without him knowing that she was there. Squall had given her a spare key to his apartment about a week ago, so that she could let herself in any time she wanted. Needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise to find her lying in his bed, curled up like a child. He made a mental note to make it up to her tomorrow.

After noiselessly changing into more comfortable (and dry) clothes, he crawled in his bed, careful as not to wake up his girlfriend. When he threw a glance at his angel, he saw that she was still sleeping soundly, her rosy lips parted slightly. Her smooth, midnight-colored hair was fanned over the pillow, a stark contrast of black and white...

Not that you could see much of it in the dark.

Countless minutes passed, but Squall didn't manage to fall asleep. No matter what he tried, he just couldn't get rid of the cold. It was as if it had followed him to his bed, deciding to perpetually clamp itself to him like a leech. He let out a frustrated huff when another shiver ran down his spine. He _hated_ winter.

Apparently, all his tossing and turning had been a little too wild, because suddenly he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his chest. "Rough night?" she muttered, sleepily.

He didn't have enough energy to utter more than a simple, "Mhmm."

"That's too bad."

By now, the brunet could feel the warmth of her skin through the fabric of his shirt. It was then that he came up with a conclusion. They were exactly like **yin and yang**; they complimented each other perfectly... They were balanced. At least, that was what she liked to tell him.

He couldn't agree more with her, because, even now, there was enough proof of that. Squall closed his eyes and let the tingling sensation of the warmth that she provided spread through him. It seeped through his shirt and reached his soul. If happiness could take a form, then this was probably what it felt like on his skin; warm and pleasant like the sun.

Rinoa kissed the back of his neck, which was the only spot she could reach. This elicited another blissful emotion that he couldn't describe in words, exploding like fireworks somewhere near his stomach. She buried her face in his back with a content sigh, making his heart both flutter and tap dance wildly. It wasn't the fact that she willingly warmed him with her body—giving him a chance to share the uncomfortable cold with her—that made him feel so deliriously happy. No, it was this unexpected gesture that showed how much she loved him. Her touch managed to reach his cold heart and made the wall of ice around it melt. She was the only one who made him feel this way: complete.

...He was turning into a total sap, wasn't he?

However, this brief moment of happiness had to end there, as his girlfriend suddenly put her icy cold toes against his foot, making him jump visibly at the contact. How she had managed to get them that cold _under the blankets_ was a mystery to him.

Her warm breath tickled his ear when she whispered, "That's for coming home late, Mister."

Despite everything, it made him smile. "…I guess I deserved that one. I'm sorry, Rin."

She hummed. If he thought that she would let him go that easily, he was horribly wrong. With a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that he couldn't possibly see in the dark, she lifted up his shirt and started rubbing her even colder hands over his bare stomach. That was all it took for him to lose his mind completely.

With little effort, he managed to pin her hands above her with his own, before shooting her one of his famous _looks_. "That, however, was uncalled for."

Of course, the brunet man couldn't stay mad with her when their gazes locked. Well, he hadn't been crossed with her to begin with. All he ever felt when he looked at her was love, unexpected but pure.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! :)**

**Next chapter: _Not in a _****zillion** years had he thought that he would admit it to himself, but there might be a small chance that he was...in love with her.


	26. Zillion

**A/N: At last, the last chapter! I'm both sad and relieved that I finally managed to finish this collection. To think that this was supposed to be a one-shot...**

**Thanks: ohnoitisKatie, Walker of Nothing, MaroonAngel of Darkness, Lartovio, and NordicBeauty. :)**

* * *

_~ Not in a **zillion** years had he thought that he would admit it to himself, but there might be a small chance that he was...in love with her. ~_

* * *

**Z. - Zillion**

Steel blue eyes were fixed on her (with such an intensity that it was a wonder that her hair didn't catch on fire) as he looked at her quietly. She seemed to be reading some notes. The way the sunlight hit her midnight-colored hair, giving it an almost silver glow, practically made him stop breathing for a moment. When he realized that he'd been watching her for quite some time, he willed himself to concentrate on something else. It was a small miracle that she hadn't looked up at all (and no, he _wasn't_ disappointed).

What in the world was she doing that was so important, anyway? He'd been sitting here at least an hour and not once had she looked away from those pages...

Squall sighed lightly, running a hand through his chocolate-brown locks. He honestly wished he didn't care what was keeping her busy, but the opposite was true. No matter how much he discovered about her, it still wasn't enough to him. It was pretty pathetic and weak, and he'd rather die than tell anyone, but he couldn't fight it anymore. Somehow, she'd found the way to his heart. She'd just barged in unannounced, taking all the room he had to offer, and by the looks of it, she wasn't going to leave anytime soon.

Not in a**zillion **years had he thought that he would admit it to himself, but there might be a small chance that he was...in love with her.

At first, she'd been so annoyingly robustious (which was kinda cute at times, he had to give her that. Usually, however, it was just plain annoying). She'd kept bombarding him with questions and other stuff that he didn't really care about, and it went on like that until she'd finally realized that maybe he didn't like all the noise and fuss about nothing. That was when a _Silent Communication_ grew between the two of them. They didn't need to use words to understand each other. Instead of that, she used deeds to get his attention. Those deeds were little things that made a whole difference. It was simple and effective. In fact, he had no idea when this need of silent communication had turned into something akin to-

At that moment, Rinoa caught him staring at her. Almost at once, she smiled warmly at him and that made her eyes lit up. The corner of Squall's mouth curled upwards lightly before he looked away in slight embarrassment. He really had to control his emotions, he was making a complete idiot out of himself in front of everyone!

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading (and for sticking with me for that long)! Hope you've enjoyed it for as long as it lasted. ^_^ This story is extra special to me, because it was my first FF VIII story. Maybe that's why it took me so long to finally finish it. :P Anyways, thanks to all who read/reviewed/favorited/followed this collection! It means the world to me.**

**REVIEW SHOUT-OUT: ireneotaku, XxX-SparklingEyes-XxX, xAshbellax, Lemon-Chan84, crepusculo4ever, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, Niqsta, hikauchi, Bebedora, MaroonAngel of Darkness, Sandy100, KeyBlader99, Rebekka, Walker of Nothing, ohnoitisKatie, Chelles Rosales, Lartovio, NordicBeauty, jaffa3, and every other reviewer after this. I hope that my next piece will be able to catch your interest, too. :)**


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